Henry h



(NoMddeL) v H. H. LUSGOMB.

MECHANICAL SPLICE EAR.

Patented Oct; 12, 1897.

iii/0 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. LUSCOMB, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE J OHNS-PRATT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MECHANICAL SPLICE-EAR.-

SBECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,556, dated October 12, 1897.

Application filed July 1, 1897. Serial No. 643,067. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY I-I. LUsooMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Splice- Ears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of clamping devices that are employed for connecting or splicing two broken or abutting ends of wire, so as to form a continuous line.

The object of the invention is to provide a very simple and inexpensive device of this nature which when in use will automatically grip and clamp the ends of the wire to be joined in a secure manner with a force proportionalto the amount of tensile strain of the wire, the parts of the device being so located and arranged that the ends of the wire may be thrust into the grasp of the clamping means and securely held without the aid of solder or similar fastening material, whereby a break can be instantly spliced or slack quickly taken'up at any necessary time without the aid of special apparatus.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of an embodiment of the invention designed for splicing two ends of an S-shaped trolley-wire, the wire being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 shows a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. 4 isa transversesection through the middle of the ear. a transverse section through the ear and one of the clamping-jaws. Fig. 6 is a similar section showing the device holding a clovershaped wire, and Fig. 7 is a view of an embodiment of the invention arranged for service as a strain-ear or as a come-along. The car may be formed to the desired shape of any material having suitable strength by casting, stamping, or forging, as most convenient. The ear shown has a hub l with a threaded socket 2 for receiving the threaded stud of the insulator which is employed to support or suspend the ear. Any other common means may, however, be provided for attaching the ear to the insulator or support. Along the loweredge of the ear is a groove 3 for receiving the wire, which may be of any cross-sectional shape. In the form shown the wire-groove does not extend the entire length of the car, there being a block or partition 4 at the middle, against which the ends of the wire may abut. The groove is shaped so as to encircle or partially encircle the wire, as the case may be. When designed for splicing the 8-shaped or clover-shaped wire shown,the walls of the groove are shaped so as to partially encircle the upper portion ofthe wire, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

Openings 5 are made in the body of the ear, and in these openings clamping-jaws 6 are placed, pivots 7 usually being employed for loosely retaining these in position. The jaws shown are cam-shaped, and on their lower edges, which project into the wire-groove, grasping-teeth are formed. The jaws are hung in such -manner and the teeth are located in such positions that any tendency of the wire to pull out of the groove causes the teeth to embed themselves in the wire and the jaws to be swung on their pivots so as to clamp the wire against the walls of the groove. With this arrangement of these parts the more powerful the strain of the wire in a direction tending to pull out of the groove the harder the teeth will bite and the more forcibly will the jaws be turned down into the groove against the surface of the wire for clamping it in place.

Springs may be employed for holding the jaws with their teeth projecting into the groove and preventing their grip upon the Wire from becoming loosened under the influence of any vibration or jar. The springs and teeth are arranged so as to permit the ends of the wire to bereadily thrust into the groove, but 'to resist removal therefrom. A spiral spring 8 may be employed, as shown, with one jaw, or a leaf-spring 9 may be used, as illustrated in connection with the other jaw in Fig. 3. If it is desired to provide a positive means for forcing the jaw down upon the wire, a set-screw 10 may be employed, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. vThe partition that divides the groove may be omitted, if desired, but it is preferred to have it when the ear is to be used for splicing trolley-wire, as it provides an abutment and forms a con- ICO tinuation of the wire-surface between the ends of the wire.

Two ends of wire may be very quickly joined or a break spliced with one of the ears illustrated in the views by simply thrusting the ends of the wire into the wire-groove until they abut against the middle block, which forms a continuation of the wire-surface and insures the smooth running of the trolley wheel or shoe. No solder or other molten material is required to retain the ends of the wire in the groove when once inserted in this manner, for the teeth on the jaws instantly embed themselves in the wire, and any outward movement of the wire only moves the jaws so that they jam or clamp the wire the more firmly against the walls of the groove. The cam-shaped jaws illustrated are very powerful, so that a firm strong bite on the wire is obtained, and as there is always considerable tensile strain on a trolley-wire, due to its weight and to contraction, the jaws hold very securely. By the employment of springs the danger that the jaws will work loose under vibrations or jars is eliminated.

If a wire spliced by one of these cars becomes stretched in use or it is too long when it expands, the jaws of the car can be by proper tools turned so as to loosen them from the wire, allowing the ends of the wire to be removed and cut off and then when shortened again thrust into the groove, so as to be held by the jaws. There may be any desired number of these jaws in the body of the car, which may be formed as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, or it may be provided with a single eye 11, as illustrated in Fig. 7, for the attachment of a wire. \Vhen constructed in this latter manner, the device may be utilized to hold the end of a strain-wire, or it may be clamped upon a wire and employed as a come-along, which is a clamp that is employed to fasten upon the wire for drawing it along into position.

The device is very inexpensive in construction, simple to use, positive in action, and strong in grip. \Vhen an 8-shaped wire is used, it can be employed for making a splice or for joining two ends without necessitating any bend in the wire, which particular shaped wire is very hard to bend without crimping. The device may be employed for other purposes by simply changing the shape of the body of the ear or the shape of the groove, according to the purpose for which it is to be applied or shape of the wire it is to hold.

I claim as my invcntion- 1. A splice-ear having means for attachment to a supporting part, awire-groove alon the lower edge and opening downwardly, and a movable jaw arranged to project into the wire-groove and normally make contact with the surface of the wire in the groove in a manner that allows the wire to be thrust into the groove but not drawn out of the groove, substantially as specified.

2. A splice-ear having means for attachment to a supporting part, a wire-groove along the lower edge and opening downwardly, and a pair of movable jaws arranged to project into the wire-groove and normally make contact with the surface of the wire in the groove in a manner that allows the wire to be thrust into the groove but not drawn out of the groove, substantially as specified.

3. A splice-ear having means for attachment to a supporting part,a wire-groove open ing downwardly along the lower edge each side of the middle of the car, a partition dividing the wire-groove at the middle of the ear, and movable jaws arranged to project into the wire-groove and normally make contact with the surface of the wire in the groove in a manner that allows the wire to be thrust into the groove but not drawn out of the groove, substantially specified.

at. A splice-ear having a threaded studsocket, openings on each side of the socket, a groove along the lower edge, movable jaws located in the openings and arranged to project into the groove and normally make c011- tact with the surface of the wire in the groove in a manner that allows the wire to be thrust into the groove but not drawn out of the groove, substantially as specified.

5. A splice-ear having a threaded studsocket, openings in the side of the socket, a groove along the lower edge, a partitionv dividing the groove at the middle of the ear, movable jaws pivoted in the openings and arranged to project into the groove and normally make contact with the surface of the wire in the groove in a manner that allows the wire to be thrust into the groove butnot drawn out of the groove, and means for keeping the jaws so as to normally make contact with the wire in the groove, substantially as specified.

HENRY II. LUSCOML. lVitnesses:

II. R. WILLIAM, E. J. HYDE. 

